"This diagnosis is my cross to bear and thorn in the flesh"
How it sounds in your head: Paul prayed three times and God said no—his thorn remained. Maybe this is my thorn. Some people get healed, others get grace to endure. Maybe I'm supposed to suffer well for God's glory.
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree')."
-- Galatians 3:13Religion misinterprets Paul's thorn to make sickness sound spiritual
The 'thorn in the flesh' verse is weaponized constantly to explain unanswered healing prayers. If Paul kept his thorn, maybe permanent sickness is God's will for some believers and he's one of them.
Paul was stoned, dragged outside the city, and left for dead—disciples surrounded him and he ROSE UP and went back into the city, preaching the next day. No recovery time, no permanent damage from near-death trauma—supernatural healing was standard, not exceptional.
I REFUSE the lie that my diagnosis is a spiritual thorn to bear. IT IS WRITTEN that Christ REDEEMED me from the curse and sickness is part of that curse—Jesus carried disease to the cross so I don't carry it through life. Paul's thorn was persecution, not illness—he was healed from STONING and preached the next day. IT IS WRITTEN that by His stripes I WAS healed—healing is past tense, purchased, mine. The BARAK blessed Abraham with LONG LIFE and good health—that's covenant inheritance, not suffering well.
Your Father is heartbroken that you've baptized your suffering and called it spiritual. He's saying 'I didn't send My Son to the cross so you could carry disease—He carried it AWAY so you could carry LIFE.' He wants you whole, not enduring well.